Chapter 154: The Band
Xia Lu Nong didn’t get a direct answer from either his brother or Yan Xi Nian.
His brother only told him to figure it out for himself.
For the next few days, Xia Lu Nong pondered the issue.
But no matter how much he thought, he couldn’t figure it out. Eventually, out of frustration, he gave up.
They drove the armored vehicles back to the base.
The return journey was smoother than the trip out.
Since they had already traveled this road once, they were familiar with the terrain, and nothing unexpected happened.
On the way back, they passed through the territory of the large dogs they had encountered earlier.
The dogs had good memories and still remembered them.
As soon as they saw the group, the dogs ran over, wagging their tails and rubbing against them, whimpering and acting affectionately.
This time, they brought back a lot of game, and the group wasn’t stingy. They even made a special meal for the dogs.
After the dogs finished eating, their bond with the group grew even stronger, their tails wagging like little windmills.
Xia Lu Nong wanted to bring a few of the dogs back to their base, but the dogs refused.
He took the opportunity to enjoy petting the big, fluffy dogs, knowing that once they returned to the base, there would be no more dogs to pet.
After saying goodbye to the dogs, they slowly drove back to the base.
The weather was gloomy, and the roads were slippery.
For days, it had been raining and snowing, leaving the ground covered in hard, frozen ice shards. Even though their armored vehicles had great performance, they had to drive slowly.
Finally, on January 6th, they drove back to the base.
The sentries on the city walls didn’t recognize them at first, but after confirming their identity several times, the whole base erupted in celebration.
In the freezing weather, men, women, and children rushed out of their homes, cheering as they came to welcome the convoy.
Especially Ban Niu and Old Liu, who were practically glowing when they saw the new armored vehicles. They circled the vehicles, eyes full of excitement.
Yan Xi Nian rolled down the window, smiling, “How’s the base been these days? Nothing major happened, right?”
“Nothing much,” Old Liu laughed. “There was a lot of game in the fall, so we had a big hunt. Now every household has stocked up on cured meat, just waiting for the New Year. You guys had a smooth trip, huh? Looks like you made quite a haul.”
As he spoke, Old Liu couldn’t resist touching the armored vehicle again, his face full of envy.
Yan Xi Nian smiled. “We made it back safely, and we brought back a lot of spoils.”
Since they didn’t have room for so many armored vehicles at home, they drove them to the square instead.
Young people from the base gathered around.
They circled the vehicles, their eyes filled with envy as they gazed at the driver’s seats, wanting to try them out.
But seeing Yan Xi Nian and Xia Huo Qu, they didn’t dare to ask.
Ban Niu touched the cold, hard exterior of the armored vehicle, practically drooling with envy. “This vehicle is so cool!”
The young people all had the same thought, their eyes bright as they surrounded the vehicle, exclaiming:
“This vehicle even has a cannon!”
“You can lower the seats inside and use them as beds—so practical!”
“Captain Yan, does the Black Gold Base have a lot of armored vehicles? With this, we wouldn’t have to worry about medium or small mutated creatures, right?”
They seemed as excited as kids with new toys, eager to inspect every inch of the armored vehicles.
In comparison, the other spoils they brought back received less attention.
Yan Xi Nian stepped out of the vehicle and said with a smile, “When our base can manufacture vehicles like this, everyone will be able to drive one.”
A young man eagerly asked, “When do you think our base will be able to make them? Are you going to meet with White Building’s scientists? I can help you gather them!”
He was about to run off like a rabbit when Yan Xi Nian stopped him. “No rush today, we’ll talk tomorrow. For now, let’s go eat. If any of you are free, help us unload.”
The young man reluctantly stopped.
“Alright,” Ban Niu gave him a gentle push, “Go ahead and unload everything from the vehicles for them!”
Ban Niu, being tall and strong, was great at carrying things.
He opened the car door and saw that Yan Xi Nian’s vehicle was filled with bamboo tubes of various sizes. Curious, he asked, “Why’d you bring back so many bamboo tubes? Is there something special inside?”
“Of course. Be careful not to damage them,” Yan Xi Nian called out with a smile, heading over to help Xia Huo Qu open the door.
Xia Lu Nong and Kong Zhi also got out of the vehicle.
Xia Lu Nong had never driven for such a long time in his life. He felt like his back was no longer his own, so as soon as he got out, he jumped up and stretched, letting out a long sigh.
As soon as they got out, the young people swarmed around the vehicle, peering inside, curious about the controls.
Xia Lu Nong, with a good temper, made room for them and continued stretching.
Seeing him, Ban Niu laughed and, holding two bamboo tubes, looked into the car. “Why do you guys have so many bamboo tubes too? Don’t tell me you went out to plant bamboo on this trip?”
“Enough joking,” Yan Xi Nian patted his shoulder. “Get to work unloading.”
Old Liu and his group had already come over, smiling, ready to help, and the other young men hurried over to see what they could do.
The atmosphere at the base was friendly, and with little competition among them, most people had very good tempers.
Everyone helped carry bamboo tubes and game without asking too many questions.
Naturally, Yan Xi Nian and the others didn’t explain much.
Xia Huo Qu glanced around and asked, “Is Liao Cheng not at the base?”
Old Liu replied, “He went out with a group to collect supplies. With the cold weather, there aren’t many active mutated plants, so it’s actually easier to go out now.”
Xia Huo Qu nodded.
After being away for so long, their home had the stale smell of a space that hadn’t been aired out.
They went inside.
Others from the base enthusiastically helped them unpack and open the windows.
Xia Lu Nong glanced around the small, somewhat dim room and sighed inwardly.
After seeing the outside world, he felt their base was a bit closed off.
Even the houses here were smaller than those at the Black Gold Base.
But the young people helping them didn’t seem to mind.
They happily crowded in, carrying their things, and even thoughtfully helped them organize.
After thanking them, the group sent the young people off.
Yan Xi Nian patted Old Liu on the shoulder. “Let’s have tea in a couple of days after we’ve rested.”
“Sure, we’re not going anywhere. Rest up first, and we’ll catch up later,” Old Liu laughed. “We’ve saved up some nice things over the past few months. Come check them out when you have time.”
Xia Lu Nong had no time for small talk with them.
He quickly squeezed through the crowd and ran to the corner of the courtyard to check on the little pepper tree.
In winter, the little pepper tree would lose its leaves but wouldn’t go dormant.
The weather was too cold now, and the tree wasn’t active, seemingly in hibernation.
Xia Lu Nong touched the trunk and raised his hand to infuse it with some of his special power.
The little pepper tree, sensing the familiar energy, suddenly woke up and shook its branches, only to realize that Xia Lu Nong was standing in front of it.
“Whoosh!” The little pepper tree became angry and whipped at Xia Lu Nong with its thin branches.
Xia Lu Nong was wearing a thick, puffy down jacket, so the branches made loud cracking sounds when they hit him, but they didn’t hurt at all.
The little pepper tree “whooshed” repeatedly, accusing him of not keeping his promise and returning so late.
Xia Lu Nong, able to communicate with it through his powers, more or less understood what it meant.
After hearing its complaints, he chuckled and tried to soothe it: “But I’m back now, aren’t I? We probably won’t be going far until spring next year.”
“Whoosh!” Liar, it didn’t believe him at all.
Xia Lu Nong rubbed its trunk. “Even if I do go out, I’ll take you with me.”
The little pepper tree, now a bit more intelligent, wasn’t so easily tricked.
It took Xia Lu Nong quite some time to calm it down, to the point where he was sweating.
Their conversation, though, was quite enjoyable.
Xia Lu Nong’s eyes were filled with amusement.
After finishing his chat with the pepper tree, he and Kong Zhi went to the back to check on the little honeysuckle plants.
The honeysuckle stayed green throughout the year, painting the backyard in a lush color.
The honeysuckle wasn’t as smart, and it had a gentle nature. It had been a long time since it had seen Xia Lu Nong and Kong Zhi, so it was simply happy to see them, without any other feelings.
Xia Lu Nong felt quite comforted.
Once he finished checking on the plants, he went back.
Yan Xi Nian and Xia Huo Qu had already sent the helpers home.
Yan Xi Nian waved and said, “I passed along a message earlier to have the cafeteria make us a meal. Let’s eat first and then deal with everything else.”
Xia Lu Nong, who hadn’t had a proper meal in a long time, immediately perked up and asked, “Brother Xi Nian, what dishes did you order?”
Yan Xi Nian glanced at him and slowly listed, “The stir-fried pork you’ve been craving for a while, sweet and sour pork ribs, spicy boiled fish, stir-fried cured meat, and various vegetables. It should be ready now. Let’s hurry over so we can eat while we talk.”
Xia Lu Nong swallowed his saliva.
Kong Zhi put an arm around his shoulders. “Let’s go.”
The four of them walked side by side to the cafeteria. It still had that familiar smell, but the basic set meal now included a dish with meat.
Everyone in the cafeteria knew them. As soon as they saw the group, they called out to them and quickly arranged for them to sit inside, immediately serving up the dishes.
The cafeteria was always open, and it was very warm inside. Once they were in, there was no need for their down jackets.
When the stir-fried pork and white rice were served, followed by the main dishes, Xia Lu Nong couldn’t wait to start. He quickly divided up the bowls and chopsticks, urging everyone to eat.
Yan Xi Nian laughed. “Did you really miss the cafeteria food that much?”
“Of course! After eating stewed meat, grilled meat, and boiled meat for so long, we finally get some stir-fried pork. How could I not miss it?”
Xia Lu Nong stuffed a piece of stir-fried pork into his mouth. The bold, spicy flavor immediately spread across his tongue, and he took a deep breath, then happily shoveled a big mouthful of white rice.
He ate quickly and with great enthusiasm. The others, seeing him, couldn’t resist starting to eat as well, forgetting about conversation as they dug into their food.
They hadn’t had a proper meal in almost two months, and even at the Black Gold Base, they’d only had fast food.
Now, suddenly getting a feast, everyone was deeply satisfied.
The four of them ate for over three hours, combining dinner and a late-night snack into one.
After they finished, they walked slowly home under the snowy sky.
Xia Lu Nong patted his stomach and sighed, “No matter how nice it is out there, this place is home.”
Xia Huo Qu laughed. “Now you’re feeling nostalgic?”
Xia Lu Nong turned his head and said seriously, “Now that I’m back, there’s no more nostalgia. Brother, I’m requesting a good night’s sleep tonight. Don’t wake us up tomorrow, okay?”
Xia Huo Qu glanced at Kong Zhi and only said, “Don’t cause too much trouble.”
Xia Lu Nong grinned mischievously, avoiding a direct answer.
He hugged Kong Zhi’s waist and pushed him forward a few steps, leaving his brother and Yan Xi Nian behind.
His brother saw his carefree attitude and, not wanting to scold him, pretended not to notice.
They’d been out for so long and hadn’t had a proper bath in days. When they got home, the first thing they did was heat water for a bath.
The base still didn’t have running water, so they had to go out late at night to fetch water.
Thankfully, they had a space bamboo container, so they didn’t need to make multiple trips. One full container was enough for the four of them.
After a lot of effort, Xia Lu Nong finished his bath, washed his hair, dried it, and finally collapsed into his warm bed with a long, contented sigh.
Kong Zhi was still drying his hair. Seeing him like that, he smiled.
Xia Lu Nong scooted over and patted the space next to him. “Come to bed, sir.”
Kong Zhi flicked his forehead, then lay down beside him, pulling Xia Lu Nong into his arms. “Sleep. No mischief tonight.”
They were both exhausted and quickly fell asleep.
Xia Lu Nong usually slept fairly well in the wild, but nothing compared to the comfort of home.
He slept deeply, not waking up until the afternoon the next day, around three o’clock.
Kong Zhi wasn’t next to him. He touched the cold sheets and mumbled something to himself before getting up.
His brother and Yan Xi Nian were also gone, likely out dealing with the game they’d brought back.
There was food left for him in the cupboard, all his favorites.
Xia Lu Nong started a fire to heat up the food and, after eating, felt too lazy to go out. He just went to the courtyard to greet the pepper tree.
Xia Hua Jiao didn’t hold grudges and had already forgotten about how long Xia Lu Nong had been away. Happily, it started chattering away with him.
The topics they discussed were simple, but their conversation was especially enjoyable.
Through Xia Hua Jiao, Xia Lu Nong learned about a lot of recent events at the base.
This was mainly because people at the base didn’t think about avoiding the plants when they talked. Xia Hua Jiao had communicated with other plants and gathered quite a few secrets.
Xia Lu Nong hadn’t expected such a pleasant surprise from their chat.
He brought out a chair, sat beside Xia Hua Jiao, and happily continued their conversation.
When Kong Zhi arrived, he saw Xia Lu Nong sitting under the pepper tree, eyes crinkled in a smile, chatting away without a care.
Kong Zhi walked over and gently touched his face with his right hand, casually asking, “What are you doing out here? Why aren’t you sitting inside? It’s so cold outside.”
Xia Lu Nong looked around to make sure no one was nearby, then lowered his voice and said to Kong Zhi, “I’m chatting with Xia Hua Jiao about all the gossip at the base.”
Kong Zhi raised an eyebrow.
Xia Lu Nong whispered more details to him.
The gossip overheard by the plants wasn’t about any major technological developments but mainly trivial news, like who was with whom or who had conflicts.
Kong Zhi wasn’t interested in this but was surprised. “Xia Hua Jiao sure knows a lot.”
“Exactly,” Xia Lu Nong replied in a low voice. “If it hadn’t told me, I wouldn’t have known there were so many secrets in our base.”
“These don’t really count as secrets—just some gossip. Are you done yet? Your hands are freezing. Let’s go back inside.”
Xia Lu Nong sniffled and tightened his down jacket, saying, “You go ahead. I’ll chat a bit longer.”
Kong Zhi had nothing else to do, so he stood beside him.
He rested his hands on Xia Lu Nong’s shoulders, hugging him from behind.
Xia Lu Nong held onto one of his hands with one of his own while the other stayed pressed against the tree trunk, deeply focused on his conversation with Xia Hua Jiao.
Aside from personal gossip, they also talked about other interesting matters.
Xia Lu Nong did some quick analysis and managed to gather quite a bit of useful information.
After finishing his chat, he went inside and told Kong Zhi everything.
Kong Zhi said, “Knowing these things doesn’t really help.”
“Maybe not right now, but you never know when it might be useful. I’m just storing it for later. If something inappropriate comes up, I’ll tell Hua Jiao not to spill the beans.” Xia Lu Nong glanced at the clock. “It’s almost six. Where did you go earlier?”
“I ordered two new quilts. The ones we’ve been using are no longer as fluffy and warm. I also got some for Brother Huo Qu and Brother Xi Nian,” Kong Zhi replied.
Xia Lu Nong slapped his forehead. “I almost forgot! Last night, I felt the quilt was damp and hazily thought about getting a new one. Good thing we’re so in sync, or we wouldn’t be sleeping well.”
Kong Zhi chuckled.
Xia Lu Nong leaned lazily against him. “I don’t feel like cooking today. Let’s wait for my brother and the others to come back, and we’ll all head to the cafeteria together. Let’s rest for now.”
Kong Zhi was fine with that.
The two spent all day together and always had plenty to talk about.
While waiting for Xia Huo Qu and Yan Xi Nian to return, they discussed various matters inside and outside the base.
That evening, they went to the cafeteria. With an abundance of supplies on hand, they could order without even thinking.
Now that the weather was cold, the cafeteria’s storage capabilities had improved significantly, and there was plenty of meat and vegetables. Whatever they wanted to eat, they could get it.
Xia Lu Nong happily munched on fried fish and said, “Life is just too good right now.”
Yan Xi Nian said, “This is only the beginning. It’ll get even better. Today, I shared the key findings from our trip with the other bases. The Huozhong Base shared the production method for their meat-testing device, so we don’t need to trade with the Black Gold Base anymore. We can make it ourselves.”
Xia Lu Nong immediately asked, “Can we really make it?”
“Of course! You’re underestimating the scientists in White Building. As long as we can gather the necessary materials, the scientists there can help us produce it,” Yan Xi Nian said.
Xia Lu Nong quickly followed up, “What special materials do we need? Rare elements, I bet?”
“The composition is quite complex. It’s not just rare elements. In a couple of days, we’ll need to head out again to gather materials. You and Kong Zhi can stay and rest at the base,” Yan Xi Nian replied.
Xia Lu Nong immediately said, “It’s only a couple of days. Two days of rest is more than enough. After that, we’ll go with you.”
Kong Zhi asked, “Do you know where you’re going?”
“Still to the N University area,” Yan Xi Nian said. “Last time, we had to retreat, but now we’ll have armored vehicles and more weapons. It should go smoothly.”
Xia Lu Nong chimed in, “So we’ll get to see the Honeysuckle again? I definitely want to go.”
Yan Xi Nian glanced at Xia Huo Qu and said, “That depends on what your brother thinks.”
Xia Lu Nong immediately turned to his brother. “Brother!”
Xia Huo Qu said, “If you want to go, then go. It’s not a big deal. We’ll talk more in a couple of days.”
Xia Lu Nong nodded and then asked, “What are we going to do with all the meat we brought back? Trade it with the base?”
Xia Huo Qu replied, “We’ll trade some of it, but we first need to see if the base can consume that much. The rest we’ll make into jerky. We need more energy now to level up our powers.”
Yan Xi Nian added, “Before we head out, I’m thinking of organizing a harvest celebration. Every household can bring some food, and we can all eat and celebrate together.”
Xia Lu Nong was the first to agree. “That sounds great! It’ll be the perfect chance to relax and strengthen our bonds.”
Xia Huo Qu said, “I’ve already submitted the idea to the management committee. It’ll be voted on tomorrow night.”
Their base was now essentially run by an elite group.
At the center of decision-making were Yan Xi Nian and Xia Huo Qu, with major matters being decided by a vote among a group of elite members of the base.
Most of the base members spent their days hunting or gathering resources, so meetings were usually held in the evenings.
Xia Lu Nong had grown accustomed to this meeting format and nodded after hearing about it, saying, “Then let’s meet tomorrow night to discuss.”
The Harvest Festival was quickly approved.
After the disaster, the atmosphere had been tense for a long time, and there weren’t many entertainment activities at the base. The Harvest Festival provided an opportunity for some fun.
With the organization of the property management committee, the base even put together several performance groups, which were said to perform at the Harvest Festival.
Xia Lu Nong wasn’t interested in performing but was curious to watch, so he asked, “What kind of performances are there? Are there a lot of people willing to perform?”
“Quite a few,” Yan Xi Nian replied. “The grand prize is half a pig, the first prize is two large pig legs, the second prize is two chickens, and there are more rewards for lower places. Each winning performance can get some kind of material reward.”
Xia Lu Nong clicked his tongue in amazement. “The base is really going all out, huh?”
“Yeah,” Yan Xi Nian said with a smile. “It’s the first time we’re holding this Harvest Festival, so we have to create a good atmosphere. Otherwise, it’ll be hard to keep the tradition going in the future. Xia Lu Nong, why don’t you try? Your singing is great, and Kong Zhi can play the flute. You two would be a perfect duo.”
Xia Lu Nong shook his head. “We’ll pass. Kong Zhi doesn’t like this kind of event, and I’m not that great at singing.”
Yan Xi Nian smiled and didn’t push further.
Although Xia Lu Nong felt a little tempted, he quickly let go of his curiosity.
They originally had no intention of participating, but the next day, some of the younger members of the base came knocking.
He Shu Hui was chosen to represent them, and nervously stammered, “We formed a band. Kong Zhi and Xia, would you like to join us?”
